ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — music
  4. degree — an amount
  5. hand — in cards
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — the time now
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. present — a gift
  14. hand — help
  15. degree — temperature
  16. tear — from crying
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — there
  22. tear — to rip
  23. degree — from a university
  24. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com